Multitubular steam-boiler.



J. H. PLUMBN. MULTITUBULAR STEAM BOILER.

APPLICATION FILED AUG- 16,1908. I 91 5 ,379. Patented Mar. 16, 1909.

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APPLICATION IILED AUG. 16 1908.

Patented Mar. 16, 1909.

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UNITED STATES FU-rTENT ()FFICE.

JEAN HENRI PLUMEN, OF WOLUWE ST. PIERRE, BELGIUM, ASSIGNOR TO Ii L'GO VAN BERESTEYN, OF BRUSSELS, BELGIUM.

LTULTITUBULAR STEAM-BOILER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented March 16, 1909.

Application filed August 16, 1906. Serial No. 330,916.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JEAN HENRI PLUMEN, a subject of the King of the Belgians, and resident of W'oluwe St. Pierre, Belgium, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in and Relating to Multitubul ar Steam- Boilers.

This invention has reference to improvements in and relating to multitubular steam boilers, and its object is to insure the proper circulation of the water therein. In boilers of this class, the circulation in the tubes which are not in direct contact with the hot gases is readily obtained, owing to the difference in the specific weights, if such circulation be not obstructed or impeded and if the convection currents can circulate freely. To get this result, it is necessary to obviate all strangling and to arrange the apparatus in such a manner as not to bring about changes of speed or direction of the currents or create counter currents. But although this circulation is possible in the non-active parts of the boiler, it is otherwise in those parts in direct contact with the fire or the very hot gases. In these parts the formation of bubbles is very violent and this renders any circulation illusory whatever be the method employed and the facility given for the disengagement of the steam. Water being a bad heat conductor, it is necessary to have the best circulation possible to have a good generator, and to get this there are only two means, viz. emulsion and pistons formed by the generated steam. It is this latter principle that is applied in my improved generator, which is illustrated in the accompany ing drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a longitudinal section of the complete boiler in side elevation, Fig. 2 is a view partly in elevation and partly in section of a modification of the rear collector, Fig. 3 is a section on line AA of Fig. 2, Fig. 4 is a horizontal section, Fig. 5 is a view, partly in section and partly in elevation of another construction of the rear collector, Fig. 6 is a section on line B-B of Fig. 5.

My improved generator comprises a cylindrical boiler 1, which is connected by a pipe 2 with a collector 3 into which all the tubes 4 open and which forms the part not in contact with the lire; these tubes lead from a common collector 5 at the front and said collector communicates with the boiler 1. A pipe 6 which dips several centimeters below the level of the water in the boiler 1 communicates at the rear with a partitioned col lector '7. This collector is divided into as many compartments as there are tubes 8. These tubes 8 connect said collector with a collector 9, similar to 5, at the front of the generator, and this collector 9 opens into the boiler 1 above the level of the water therein. The same result may be obtained by dispensing with the two collectors 7 and 9 and employing tubes bent to a U-shape and arranged so as to slope from front to back; it is only a question of construction.

The feed water enters the boiler 1 at 10, the least heated part of the whole generator, so that the cold water flows in the opposite direction to the course of the gases and abstracts the maximum amount of heat therefrom while the calcareous matter and impurities in suspension in the water are precipitated before the water reaches the tubes which are in direct contact with the tire.

The boiler 1, not being of great capacity, is surmounted by a steam dome 11.

The action of the apparatus is as follows: The vaporization in the tubes 4 not being very great, the circulation in them can be obtained by the difference of the specific weights, provided the currents are not impeded. To get this result, the collector 5 at the front is partitioned in the same manner as the collectors 7 and 9. In this way each member forms an independent circuit and the circulation in any member will neither be countered nor impeded by the lower or higher members. As regards the members in direct contact with the fire and the hot gases, the circulation is maintained in the following manner: As soon as a pressure, however small, is developed in the boiler 1, some of the water contained therein is forced into the collector 7, which is placed at a higher level, and this because the pipe 6 dips into the water in the boiler 1, and as long as the pressure exists the water remains in this position. When the water reaches its boiling point and columns of steam begin to be formed, the steam acts as a piston and, by the difference of pressure forces before it the wa ter in the corresponding section of'the compartments of the collector 9 these compartments open above the level of the water in the boiler 1, and when the water has once been driven from them it cannot return by the same orifices consequently, it will be evident, water will flow from the rear ends of the tubes 8 and the rear collector 7 to replace the water thus driven out; an equivalent volume of water will pass from the boiler 1 into the rear collector 7, by the pipe 6, and the normal level will thus be maintained. Owing to the rapidity of this movement, the water acquires a certain as visa and acts, so to speak, like a flywheel, that is to say, instead of coming to rest suddenly at the level of the water in the boiler 1 it continues its movement until this m's vim is expended;

and before it comes to rest a fresh column of steam is formed in the tubes and the phenomenon described is repeated. As each circuit is independent of the others, the currents set up are quite free and a perfect circulation is maintained. The violence of these currents has important advantagesremov ing deposits, preventing incrustation in the tubes, and carrying off impurities into the boiler 1. The feed pipe of the rear collector 7 does not take its water from the bottom of the boiler 1 because the impurities resting there would in that event be carried away by the current.

In the construction illustrated in Figs. 2 to 4, the tubes l, which are not in contact with the llame, as well as the tubes 8, which are in contact with the flame, open at the rear of the boiler into a collector formed by a casing 12 and communicating at its under p art with the cylindrical boiler 1 through columns 13. This collector is divided by vertical partitions 14 placed across it, and by other vertical partitions 15 placed perpendicular to those first referred to; further, these partitions are bent at right angles at their lower part to form horizontal partitions 16, so that the complete collector is divided into as many compartments as there are circulation tubes l and 8. These compartments all open into a chamber 17 into which the tubular columns 13 above referred to open. As seen from the drawing the tubes 4 and 8 of each vertical series open respectively into compartments 19, 20, 21 situated one behind the other in the collector.

In the construction shown in Figs. 5 and 6, the circulation tubes 4 and 8 each open into a small box 22 and lead to a collector-case 23, which in turn communicates with the cylindrical boiler l. The boxes 22 are of parallelipedic form, which permits of superposing them and placing them alongside each other so as to make them serve the same purpose as the partitioned collectors described and also permits of their free expansion. All these boxes being independent of each other as well as of the tubes it is an easy matter to replace them. The collector-case 23 has a partition 2a which separates the water of the tubes l from that of the tubes 8.

Having now fully described my said invention what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a steam generator the combination with a boiler into which the water is introduced and which receives the steam as it is formed, of a collector communicating with the front end of said reservoir, a second collector communicating with the rear end of said boiler, tubes opening at opposite ends into said collectors, a third collector communicating with the rear end of the boiler and arranged to maintain a water level higher than that in the boiler, and divided into a plurality of compartments, a fourth collector communicating with the front end of the boiler above the water level therein and divided into a plurality of compartments, and tubes communicating at opposite ends with the compartments of the said third andfourth collectors in the manner described.

2. in a steam generator, the combination with a boiler, of a partitioned collector communicating with the rear end of the boiler below the water level therein and arranged to maintain a water level higher than that in the boiler, a partitioned collector co1nmunieating with the front end of the boiler above the water level therein, and tubes communieating at opposite ends with the compartments of said collectors. V

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two witnesses.

JEAN HENRI PLUMEN. ll itnesses C. VAN HELSEN, GREGORY PHELAN. 

